In a time where most of us manage our lives online and children are accessing the internet from an ever younger age, the demand for regulation in this sector has never been greater. The Safety Net is Bristows’ Online Safety Act resource hub, breaking the OSA and Ofcom’s codes of practice into clear, practical guidance for the services that must comply.
Where to first?
Understanding the Online Safety Act
The risk that internet users, and in particular children, may be exposed to harms when accessing online content is significant, and the UK is one of the first countries to implement a comprehensive regime to combat this.
The Online Safety Act (OSA) received royal assent in October 2023. Starting in 2024, Ofcom, as the Regulator for the OSA, consulted on a series of regulatory guidance and codes of practice, which have been incrementally bringing the provisions of the OSA into force. For example, Ofcom’s powers to enforce the OSA’s illegal content obligations (under its phase 1) began on 17 March 2025, falling 3 months after its illegal content codes of practice came into force.
The OSA and Ofcom’s accompanying codes and guidance are vast and complex and can be challenging for service providers to get to grips with. The content on The Safety Net is aimed at breaking all of this down into digestible chunks, to help service providers understand whether they are in scope of the OSA, what their obligations are and what Ofcom’s powers are in relation to this new regime.
Understanding the Online Safety Act
The risk that internet users, and in particular children, may be exposed to harms when accessing online content is significant, and the UK is one of the first countries to implement a comprehensive regime to combat this.
The Online Safety Act (OSA) received royal assent in October 2023. Starting in 2024, Ofcom, as the Regulator for the OSA, consulted on a series of regulatory guidance and codes of practice, which have been incrementally bringing the provisions of the OSA into force. For example, Ofcom’s powers to enforce the OSA’s illegal content obligations (under its phase 1) began on 17 March 2025, falling 3 months after its illegal content codes of practice came into force.
The OSA and Ofcom’s accompanying codes and guidance are vast and complex and can be challenging for service providers to get to grips with. The content on The Safety Net is aimed at breaking all of this down into digestible chunks, to help service providers understand whether they are in scope of the OSA, what their obligations are and what Ofcom’s powers are in relation to this new regime.
For more information or help with your organisation’s OSA compliance efforts, please get in touch with one of our experts.
Where to first?
For more information or help with your organisation’s OSA compliance efforts, please get in touch with one of our experts.
Online safety glossary
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